A Jigawa State High Court has struck out a criminal case involving one Ibrahim Alfa of Garado village, Jahun Local Government Area and two others, who were being prosecuted for alleged rape and incest.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by Abbas Rufa’i Wangara, Director Publicity & Protocol, Jigawa State Judiciary.
The defendants were accused of committing the crime against a 12-year-old biological daughter of Ibrahim Alfa.
The alleged offence is contrary to Section 3(1) and Punishable under sections 3(4) and 5(2) of the Violence Against Person Prohibition Law (VAPP Law) No 2 Laws of Jigawa State, 2021.
Giving reasons for striking out the case, thx court said for almost three years, the prosecution failed to produce the accused persons before the court, occasioning unnecessary delay in the trial.
Due to the lack of diligent prosecution, the court was left with no option but to strike out the case.
The presiding judge emphasized that the court cannot indefinitely entertain a case where the prosecution shows no commitment to pursuing justice.
The statement said the development raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of the justice system in handling cases of sexual violence, particularly those involving minors.
Stakeholders are calling for better coordination between law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies to ensure that such grave offences are not dismissed on technical grounds.
